Doc was acting2 jubilant, having just drawn3 his adjourned4 game with Sherevsky, which meant, since Jandorf had beaten Grabo, that he was in undisputed possession of Ninth Place. They were all waiting for the finish of the Votbinnik-Lysmov game, which would decide the final standing5 of the leaders. Willie Angler was complacent6 and Simon Great was serene7 and at last a little more talkative.
"You know, Willie," the psychologist said, "I was afraid that one of you boys would figure out something like that. That was the chief reason I didn't have the Machine use the programmed openings until Lysmov's win forced me to. I couldn't check every opening line in MCO and the Archives and Shakhmaty. There wasn't time. As it was, we had a dozen typists and proofreaders busy for weeks preparing that part of the programming and making sure it was accurate as far as following the books went. Tell the truth now, Willie, how many friends did you have hunting for flaws in the latest edition of MCO?"
Willie grinned. "Your unlucky 13th. Well, that's my secret. Though I've always said that anyone joining the Willie Angler Fan Club ought to expect to have to pay some day for the privilege. They're sharp, those little guys, and I work their tails off."
Simon Great laughed and said to Sandra, "Your young friend Dave was pretty sharp himself to deduce what had happened so quickly. Willie, you ought to have him in the Bleeker Street Irregulars."
Sandra said, "I get the impression he's planning to start a club of his own."
Angler snorted. "That's the one trouble with my little guys. They're all waiting to topple me."
Simon Great said, "Well, so long as Willie is passing up Dave, I want to talk to him. It takes real courage in a youngster to question authority."
"How should he get in touch with you?" Sandra asked.
While Great told her, Willie studied them frowningly.
"Si, are you planning to stick in this chess-programming racket?" he demanded.
Simon Great did not answer the question. "You try telling me something, Willie," he said. "Have you been approached the last couple of days by IBM?"
"You mean asking me to take over your job?"
"I said IBM, Willie."
"Oh." Willie's grin became a tight one. "I'm not talking."
There was a flurry of sound and movement around the playing tables. Willie sprang up.
"Lysmov's agreed to a draw!" he informed them a moment later. "The gangster8!"
"Gangster because he puts you in equal first place with Votbinnik, both of you ahead of the Machine?" Great inquired gently.
"Ahh, he could have beat Binny, giving me sole first. A Russian gangster!"
Doc shook a finger. "Lysmov could also have lost to Votbinnik, Willie, putting you in second place."
"Don't think evil thoughts. So long, pals9."
As Angler clattered10 down the stairs, Simon Great signed the waiter for more coffee, lit a fresh cigarette, took a deep drag and leaned back.
"You know," he said "it's a great relief not to have to impersonate the hyperconfident programmer for awhile. Being a psychologist has spoiled me for that sort of thing. I'm not as good as I once was at beating people over the head with my ego11."
"You didn't do too badly," Doc said.
"Thanks. Actually, WBM is very much pleased with the Machine's performance. The Machine's flaws made it seem more real and more news-worthy, especially how it functioned when the going got tough—those repairs the boys made under time pressure in your game, Savilly, will help sell WBM computers or I miss my guess. In fact nobody could have watched the tournament for long without realizing there were nine smart rugged12 men out there, ready to kill that computer if they could. The Machine passed a real test. And then the whole deal dramatizes what computers are and what they can and can't do. And not just at the popular level. The WBM research boys are learning a lot about computer and programming theory by studying how the Machine and its programmer behave under tournament stress. It's a kind of test unlike that provided by any other computer work. Just this morning, for instance, one of our big mathematicians13 told me that he is beginning to think that the Theory of Games does apply to chess, because you can bluff14 and counterbluff with your programming. And I'm learning about human psychology15."
Doc chuckled16. "Such as that even human thinking is just a matter of how you program your own mind?—that we're all like the Machine to that extent?"
"That's one of the big points, Savilly. Yes."
Doc smiled at Sandra. "You wrote a nice little news-story, dear, about how Man conquered the Machine by a palpitating nose and won a victory for international amity17.
"Now the story starts to go deeper."
"A lot of things go deeper," Sandra replied, looking at him evenly. "Much deeper than you ever expect at the start."
The big electric Scoreboard lit up.
FINAL STANDING
Player
Wins
Losses
Angler
6
3
Votbinnik
6
3
Jal
5-1/2
3-1/2
Machine
5-1/2
3-1/2
Lysmov
5
4
Serek
4-1/2
4-1/2
Sherevsky
4-1/2
4-1/2
Jandorf
3-1/2
5-1/2
Krakatower
2-1/2
6-1/2
Grabo
2
7
"It was a good tournament," Doc said. "And the Machine has proven itself a grandmaster. It must make you feel good, Simon, after being out of tournament chess for twenty years."
The psychologist nodded.
"Will you go back to psychology now?" Sandra asked him.
Simon Great smiled. "I can answer that question honestly, Miss Grayling, because the news is due for release. No. WBM is pressing for entry of the Machine in the Interzonal Candidates' Tournament. They want a crack at the World's Championship."
Doc raised his eyebrows18. "That's news indeed. But look, Simon, with the knowledge you've gained in this tournament won't you be able to make the Machine almost a sure winner in every game?"
"I don't know. Players like Angler and Lysmov may find some more flaws in its functioning and dream up some new stratagems19. Besides, there's another solution to the problems raised by having a single computer entered in a grandmaster tournament."
Doc sat up straight. "You mean having more programmer-computer teams than just one?"
"Exactly. The Russians are bound to give their best players computers, considering the prestige the game has in Russia. And I wasn't asking Willie that question about IBM just on a hunch20. Chess tournaments are a wonderful way to test rival computers and show them off to the public, just like cross-country races were for the early automobiles21. The future grandmaster will inevitably22 be a programmer-computer team, a man-machine symbiotic23 partnership24, probably with more freedom each way than I was allowed in this tournament—I mean the man taking over the play in some positions, the machine in others."
"You're making my head swim," Sandra said.
"Mine is in the same storm-tossed ocean," Doc assured her. "Simon, that will be very fine for the master who can get themselves computers—either from their governments or from hiring out to big firms. Or in other ways. Jandorf, I'm sure, will be able to interest some Argentinian millionaire in a computer for him. While I... oh, I'm too old... still, when I start to think about it.... But what about the Bela Grabos? Incidentally, did you know that Grabo is contesting Jandorf's win? Claims Jandorf discussed the position with Serek. I think they exchanged about two words."
Simon shrugged25, "The Bela Grabos will have to continue to fight their own battles, if necessary satisfying themselves with the lesser26 tournaments. Believe me, Savilly, from now on grandmaster chess without one or more computers entered will lack sauce."
Dr. Krakatower shook his head and said, "Thinking gets more expensive every year."
From the floor came the harsh voice of Igor Jandorf and the shrill27 one of Bela Grabo raised in anger. Three words came through clearly: "... I challenge you...."
Sandra said, "Well, there's something you can't build into a machine—ego."
"Oh, I don't know about that," said Simon Great.
The End
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1
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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gangster
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| n.匪徒，歹徒，暴徒 | |
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9
pals
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| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
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clattered
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| 发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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ego
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| n.自我，自己，自尊 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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mathematicians
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| 数学家( mathematician的名词复数 ) | |
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14
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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psychology
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| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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19
stratagems
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| n.诡计，计谋( stratagem的名词复数 )；花招 | |
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20
hunch
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| n.预感，直觉 | |
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21
automobiles
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| n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 ) | |
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22
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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23
symbiotic
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| adj.共栖的，共生的 | |
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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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25
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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